After the violence of battle
and the finality of victory
there is peace.
Skin soaked with blood
Mahagauri goes to the river
to wash herself clean.
She emerges covered with water drops
sparkling in the brilliant sunlight.
Mahagauri come to us on your white bull,
wash away our transgressions and regrets,
bring us the knowledge which will free us,
renew us and grant us peace.
Om Devi Mahagauryai Namah.
This is sometimes imaged in terms of black/filthy and white/clean – Gauri’s skin is black with blood and washes white again. I wanted to move away from this framing so I focused on the image of the skin covered with blood and then washed with water sparkling clean in the sunshine.